From the local farm to your dinner table
Nothing beats fresh fruit and vegetables at a summer cookout, and local markets work day in and day out to provide a wide variety of produce to Vestavia’s community.
Farmers market locations in Vestavia include:
Andy’s Farm Market
► Where: 2489 Rocky Ridge Road
► When: Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
► Contact: andysgardencenter.com/farm-market; 824-0300 (call early morning)
Andy’s Farm Market, while open year-round and six days a week, will be welcoming fresh produce for the summer season. Owner Andy Burris is known to deliver the produce in the mornings and said the fruits and vegetables will be locally grown.
Selections include corn, tomatoes, Chilton County peaches, shell peas and butterbeans.
Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church
► Where: 2061 Kentucky Ave., church parking lot
► When: Wednesdays, 7-11 a.m.
► Contact: Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church Farmers Market on Facebook
This is the second year for the Vestavia Hills UMC farmers market, and Director of Communications Timmy Collins said they’re looking forward to bringing the market back. While last year Collins said the vendors brought other goods in addition to fruits and vegetables, there will be about 10 vendors, many of whom are within an hour’s drive of the church, selling mainly produce. Of the foods left over, the church will purchase them to stock its kitchen or pantry.
“[The market is] something that we’re really going to try to grow this year,” he said. “And they’re really hoping to make this something they can do every summer.”
Rocky Ridge Church Market
► Where: 2404 Altadena Road
► When: Tuesdays, 3-6 p.m.
► Contact: Rocky Ridge Church Market on Facebook
As an outreach project for the Rocky Ridge Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the Rocky Ridge Church Market works with Alabama vendors to sell fresh, local produce and meats. Under the idea “buy fresh, buy local,” organizer Susan Ellis said this year’s market includes five different vendors, each selling produce, meats, honey and honey-based items, baked goods and sorbet and flavored ices.
The market is on the front lawn of the church. “This is a great place for the community to come together and meet other people from the area,” Ellis said.
Murphree’s Market& Garden Center
► Where: 4212 Dolly Ridge Road
► When: Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
► Contact: murphreesmarket.com; 967-8590
Family-owned for nearly 38 years by Brad Murphree and his parents, Gene and Kathy Murphree, the market is a year-round, daily market that offers both produce as well as a full-season garden center.
By the summer months, Murphree’s Market and Garden Center will be fully stocked with a wide variety of produce, most of which, if not all, will be locally sourced from different Alabama vendors.
Selections include fresh-shelled peas, butterbeans, watermelon, peaches, okra, squash and corn, as well as other produce, Brad Murphree said.